Gallery: Factors for effective exercise

File photo, Postmedia News03.23.2011

Are you exercising at the right intensity level? My experience is that people who are not seeing results are not pushing themselves enough. When you are lifting weights it should not be difficult to complete your last few repetitions. When you are doing cardiovascular training, your heart rate should get up to at least 125 beats per minute or as high as 160 bpm.

File photo
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Are you exercising enough? For some people, three times per week will elicit the results they seek. For others, the magic number might be five times per week. These variables will change based on your goals, exercise experience and personal schedule.Spencer Platt
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When was the last time you changed your exercise program? Our bodies adapt and become accustomed to doing things when we do them all the time. Exercise is no different. Your exercise routine should have some variations in it every month. For some people, this can occur on a weekly basis.Photos.com
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Are you making healthy food choices and eating enough? We need to eat foods that are high in vitamins and minerals and that give us the energy to be productive throughout the day. Food fuels our exercise programs, and if we are not eating the right foods at the right times, our workouts will suffer.Thinkstock
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Are you getting enough rest? This includes sleep and rest in between workouts. Everyone needs at least one day off from exercise. For many, two days of rest is even better. Every couple of months, it’s a good idea to take off a couple of extra days to give your body time to recuperate and regenerate. When our bodies are not getting enough rest, our workouts will not lead to optimal performance improvements.Photos.com
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Do you have a plan? Many people just show up and go through the motions without any real plan or logic behind what they are doing. The more structured and specific the plan, the more likely you are to see results.Photos.com
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The reality is that there are various reasons why people don’t see results from their exercise programs. In my experience, the above list explains 90 per cent of such cases.

- Mike Bates is a certified personal trainer and teaches kinesiology at the University of Windsor. He owns Refine Fitness Studio in Windsor, blogs at refinefitness.ca and can be reached at mike@refinefitness.ca.